Young specialist Tyler Morgan has been selected ahead of veteran utility James Hook at outside center for Wales, which also recalled British Lions Gethin Jenkins and Dan Lydiate for the Rugby World Cup quarterfinal against South Africa.
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They arrive in the knock-out phase battle-hardened by intense Pool A showdowns with England, Fiji and Australia, losing only to the Wallabies in a thunderous collision last weekend.
Gatland said: “After coming through an incredibly tough pool, we are excited to be in the quarter-finals and returning to Twickenham”.
“There is no doubt that when South Africa play like South Africa – and do it well – they are a very hard team to beat”.
“And the beauty of that is that we’d be here until the end of the tournament as well”.
“We’ve scored a few great maul tries and I’m really happy with our defence because Wales are really going to test our defence”. The players aren’t ready to go home. We’re thin on numbers in the back line but coped with that well.
“He is such an astute rugby player”.
“We just need the bounce of the ball and a little of luck against South Africa”.
I think it helped us. “Hopefully that’s an omen – I’m grabbing anything I can!”
Elsewhere it’s same again as Gatland attempts to engineer what would only be Wales’ third ever victory against the Springboks.
“He was anxious when he did not get game time before the tournament”, Meyer said. You have to be prepared to do something different.
Du Preez did not start the shock 34-32 loss to Japan in South Africa’s opening game of the tournament, but since then the number nine has engineered a turnaround in the team’s fortunes.
“At this level it’s about taking a few risks. Right up until we left South Africa, he was not sure whether he would make it to the World Cup because he was struggling with a back injury”.
“He’s definitely a player for the future and this is a great opportunity for him”.
“They have gone back to how they play the game best – that’s how they won the World Cup (in 2007)”.
Gatland has absolute faith in English referee Wayne Barnes, who he insists has rediscovered his “mojo”.
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When asked what he was expecting from the Springboks, Gatland said: “Same old, same old. In the past, he was refereeing to the assessors and that can sometimes put you off the ability to make your own decisions”.
